Passport 229BH Wheel bearing maintenance question

[Steve526]

Last year we purchased a new passport 229bh travel trailer. In getting ready for this season, I want to check/service the wheel bearings. We previously owned a 2015 crossroads sunset trail trailer and sold it before we moved to Colorado in 2021. That trailer required me to repack the wheel bearings every 12-18 months. The guy at the dealer (where we bought the new trailer) said that I don't need to repack the bearings, just add grease thru the grease fittings.

Is this true? I'm not comfortable just taking his word for it, without checking with the real experts, e.g., you guys! We have a 4000 mile round trip planned for late July, and I want to make sure everything is in good shape before we go!

Thanks so much for your feedback!

Steve

 

[Eman85]

Google EZ lube axles, it will show you how they work and how to grease them. Must use wheel bearing type grease and must raise the tire and spin while greasing.

 

[JRTJH]

I'd ask three questions before you make a decision to "just squirt some grease in the axle...

1. Do you know that your axles were assembled correctly at the axle manufacturer's plant and that they were not internally damaged in shipment and in storage/handling at Keystone prior to being installed on your trailer frame during assembly?

2. Do you know that the brake shoes, magnets, internal components of the hub are properly installed and that there is enough brake lining left on the shoes and that there is no grease contamination on the linings?

3. Do you know that the bearings and races are properly lubed and adjusted with no wear or internal damage?

There is a "bucket load of potential" for your axles to have been dropped by the forklift during shipping, that there may be a "mistake in assembly" at Dexter or Lippert or whoever built your axles and there is always the risk that the delivery driver may have hit a pothole and damaged something on the trip from Keystone to your dealership... Remember that many times, unless you have a "starting point of known good assembly" you're risking a potential if you "trust everyone in the chain" to have always done things correctly...

If you haven't yet inspected your axles, I would "trust but verify" I can't tell you how many owners have commented on issues found during that first bearing repack/brake/hub inspection...

 

[chuckster57]

We won’t use the Zerk, we take the wheel and hub off. It’s like John says, you need to LOOK at the bearings/races, Shoes, drums and spindles.

 

[NH_Bulldog]

I would not trust the grease fitting. Even under the best circumstances, it is VERY easy to blow grease past the seals and into the drum, which can foul the brakes and lead to very expensive repairs.

I have always pulled the wheels, inspected, cleaned, repacked, reinstalled and adjusted once per year. With our 2019 Passport I kept a complete set of pre-packed bearings, races and seals in my toolbox but never needed them. After nearly 6 years and over 50,000 miles we had no issues. I did the final service right before I sold the camper last year and gifted the spare bearing sets to the new owner. Another year of use and the originals are still going strong, the spares sleep in his toolbox just like they did in mine.

 

[Steve526]

Thank you all SO MUCH!!!! I watched the video Eman85 referenced, and all your comments make sense to me. I have a place that I can take the trailer to for full cleaning, inspection and repack, and will be doing so before we go anywhere.

 

[JBM3M]

I have seen these not grease one of the bearings. I do not trust them to adequately do the job